Reiryuu Academy Student Council Chapter 38

La Faust Academy Arc
38 Tricks and Schemes

Their lips were only a short distance from touching. The man called Minohara Shin was there at a distance where they could feel each other's breath.

"Hey."

His exhalation tickled her nose. Instead of replying, Meru glared into his eyes. Shin grinned at her look.

"If you don't close your eyes, it's hard to kiss you."

Since he said so, Meru suddenly opened her eyes wide without blinking. Or rather, it was strange that she had to kiss someone she had only known for just over five minutes.
Shin chuckled deep in his throat and leaned in.

"Well, whatever. This is fresh, too."
"——!"

Meru strained herself to shake off his arm, but she couldn't even match the strength in Shin's one hand. Unable to move, Shin's face came closer. When they were three millimeters away from a kiss, what interrupted them was nothing other than the ringtone of Shin's smartphone.

"Uwahh, bad timing. If I don't pick up this time, though, you know? 'Sup?"

Shin released Meru's chin and answered the phone. However, his other hand still restrained both of hers to prevent her from escaping.Thinking such, without caring that Shin was on the phone, Meru kicked her legs out.

"Umm, right now, hey, don't move, I said."
"Please cut it out! W-, st-, ow!"

In regard to Meru's sudden movement, Shin showed no surprise as he had already probably expected it and prepared to an extent. He simply pressed Meru's body further against the wall.
While sweat was running down Meru's forehead, the smile suddenly disappeared from Shin's face.

"Eh?"

Thinking it was strange, Meru tilted her head to the side. Shin returned his smartphone to his pocket and, looking bored, released Meru's hands before roughly seizing her right arm. She had absolutely no clue why Shin suddenly began to move to leave the library. Meru used her legs as a brake with all her might.

"Where do you want to go so suddenly this time?"
"The reception office."

Shin cast a gold glance that was completely different from before. He was even spitting out his words.

"Hah? I don't want to."
"'m not asking for your opinion. If you're Seiya's doll for killing time, say so from the beginning. How boring."

She didn't understand what Shin was saying, but it was true that he was working himself up on his own.

"I don't really care either way, but I promised to be in the library……"

Meru stopped speaking. No, it would be more accurate to say her mouth was involuntarily shut. Shin grazed Meru's cheek as he forcefully struck the wall.

"Shouldn't you stop going against me while I'm still being reasonable? Well, even if I take a big step back and forgive you disobeying me, if you go against Seiya… I'll kill you."

Shin said, smiling. However, his eyes didn't hold even the hint of one. Meru felt a chill run up her spine, so she remained silent and followed him.

Meru was brought along by Shin to the reception office. The students gathered in front of it looked at them as though they were looking at something unusual.

When Shin opened the door to the room, the tense air was nearly piercing.

"Seiya, I brought her."
"……Excuse me."

When Meru's face appeared from behind Shin, Fuuga vigorously stood and approached them at breakneck speed. Then, he immediately flicked Shin's hand which was gripping Meru's arm roughly.

"Oww. Isn't that how you shouldn't treat guests?"
"That's what I should say to you, that's not how you should treat a girl, right?"

Meru could only see Fuuga's back from where she was. However, this might be the first time she saw him so handsome.

"What did you do to Meru-chan?"

Meru's shout that they heard from Seiya's smartphone was bothering Fuuga. The number of times Meru had used that loud of a voice were easily countable. It was obvious that this man in front of them called Shin had done something.

"Eh? Nothing, really. Right, Kusuharchan?"

When Shin said that, laughing frivolously, even Meru knew that Fuuga's fist was filling with strength. Meru grabbed Fuuga's hand at the same moment Hayate opened his mouth.

"Fuuga. You're facing a guest. It'll be a problem if you make a careless mistake. You too, Yuuri, got it?"

At Hayate's words, everyone looked at Yuuri.

"Yes, I'm sorry."

Yuuri had one hand on his wooden sword in preparation, but it seemed that his switch hadn't been flipped yet. He was perfectly in a blind spot, but Hayate had noticed him.

"My apologies. May we call ourselves even with this?"

Hayate finally brought the matter under control. Fuuga also didn't go against Hayate's words. Still, he kept Meru safe behind him and glared at Shin.

"Yes. My companion did things his own way, so it should be I who apologizes. But……"

Seiya glanced at Meru, then looked into Hayate's eyes.

"I presume that you, President Kamishiro, knew whom I was looking for. As such, your conduct toward me until just now is a little puzzling."
"That's not it! Ruu-chan is an executive, and we just had her go investigate something…… It's not like we were hiding her."
"Hiiragi!"

At Shoutarou's stilling words, Laila noticed that Seiya was smiling.

"I see."

Seiya said, smiling satisfactorily.

"If she is an executive of Reiryuu Academy's student council, she's quite excellent. There's no loss in me lowering my head and especially giving her an invitation to La Faust Academy. That's how it is, but is that alright? President Kamishiro."

If he made use of the excuse Hayate himself had given earlier, it was difficult for Hayate to refute him immediately.

"In that case, I'll have a chat with that female student."

At Seiya's wish, Shin and Sakakida as well as Meru stayed while the remaining executives left the reception office.

Due to the strange atmosphere around the executives, the crowd of students immediately dispersed, leaving the executives to loiter in front of the reception office.

"Rengetsu-kun, are you ok?"
"I am."

Crouching down with his face and eyes cast between his knees, Fuuga spoke with a thick voice.

"The one who isn't ok is Meru-chan."

Fuuga bit his lip. The one who stopped him when he lost his cool and was about to raise his hand was none other than Meru. Her hands at that time were faintly shaking. That trembling may have come from her fear. Or maybe it was from the spasms after having been held so violently. Either way, Fuuga could only think about that. That was even more vexing.

"Hayate, I'm sorry. I……."
"Hiiragi. If you say that, everyone is the same."

The one who covered for Laila who bowed his head in apology was Shoutarou.
Hayate also didn't blame Laila. In the end, his own words were the deciding blow. If you were to ask who was in the wrong, there was no one. Seiya had no intention to pull back from the beginning.

"The rest is up to Meru."

Hayate dropped his gaze and murmured.

In the reception office, Meru and Seiya were sitting facing each other. Shin was guarding the door with his back and an unreadable smile on his face. Sakakida stood behind Seiya without a word. There was no trace left of his confidence from yesterday. It was certain that the men called Kotokura Seiya and Minohara Shin were at least causing him mental strain.

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Kotokura Seiya."

Seiya directed a perfect smile toward Meru. It was similar to the smile Fuuga showed a long time ago. At least, it had a different implication than the one Shin was showing.
Meru was reassured by Seiya's words and finally looked into Seiya's eyes.

"I'm Kusuhara Meru."

When she said that, it was just for a moment, but Seiya's eyebrows twitched in response. At his unexpected response, Meru raised her guard a little.

"……What's wrong?"
"It's a name I've heard somewhere, so I unintentionally reacted. It's an unusual name, isn't it?"
"Not necessarily. Dolls that children have have a name like this."
"That's true."

Seiya smiled thinly. Each and every one of Seiya's movements was considerably refined. That was something pleasing that even Meru soon noticed.

"By the way, cutting to the chase……it seems that Sakakida here caused you trouble yesterday. It is extremely shameful. I, too, offer my apologies."

When Seiya bowed his head, Sakakida also bowed his own very deeply. It was probably a considerable humiliation. His clenched fists were white.

"It didn't particularly have anything to do with me. It's me who interjected a bit too much."

Meru looked toward Sakakida and lightly bowed her head once. She then immediately returned her gaze toward Seiya.

"No, there's no such thing. I sense that you are an extremely excellent person, Kusuharsan. Now, it's rather abrupt, but I would like you to think about coming to our school as a specially appointed student."
"……A specially appointed student is……?"
"Ahh, it's what the students who are approved to stand at the top of the academy are called. Incidentally, the current specially appointed students are……myself, and Minohara Shin over there, only."

Saying so, Seiya moved his gaze to Shin. Meru also directed her gaze toward Shin, narrowing her eyes. Even receiving Meru's look, he brushed it off without concern.

"Of course, I will pay your tuition and all fees related to your transfer."

Seiya returned his gaze, staring intently at Meru while he spoke.

"There are five other superior executives here. There's no problem if you leave, right? However, we need you. You understand which is better for you, no?"

Meru was quiet for a while. The resounding silence was heavy, and the only sound came from the clock's hand ticking.

And then Meru finally opened her mouth.

"I will decline."

At Meru's words, Seiya and Shin's eyes suddenly opened wide.

"I'm not particularly excellent or anything like that. You'll know that if you investigate a little. There are a lot of voices in opposition to me becoming an executive. Furthermore…… as you said, Kotokursan, there are another five superior executives here. Pulling someone who wouldn't mind being discarded into your academy is a foolish thought."
"But……"

Before Seiya could raise his objection, Meru raised her voice.

"Even if that wasn't the case, I don't have any intention to go around spreading something like La Faust Academy isn't comparable to me."

Meru said with a smile.
Meru understood why Seiya came here. If it was to apologize for Sakakida, they shouldn't come here, but rather go to dyed brown-kun and his mom's place.
Even if he were to say that Meru was excellent so he extended an invitation, his words were too pushy. If you thought for a little bit, you would understand that the real issue at hand was ensuring Meru's silence.
Although that was easy to say, those who could think of that in this moment were extremely few. There weren't many who could think calmly without losing their heads in excitement after receiving special treatment from the son of the peerless Kotokura Zaibatsu and his invitation to La Faust Academy. Those who could might perhaps be only the executives of Reiryuu Academy's student council.

Hearing Meru's answer, Seiya dropped his eyes and his shoulders trembled.

"Seiya?"

When Shin asked after Seiya dubiously, Seiya lifted his head while chuckling.

"That makes it much quicker. Certainly, please take that course. However…"

Seiya stood up and took Meru's hand.

"Even so, I would like you to come to our academy."
"Hah?"
"I'll pretend I didn't hear your previous answer. Please think about it carefully."

Seiya gave a gentlemanly smile and headed toward the door.

"Shin, Sakakida."

At Seiya's words, Shin and Sakakida both followed behind him.
When the door opened, the executives immediately entered. Laila quickly rushed to Meru's side.

Fuuga looked at Shin and glared, but Shin snorted and ignored him.

"Rengetsu-kun, please restrain yourself. Though I do understand your feelings."

Yuuri, who was next to Fuuga, took hold of his arm. It was rare that Yuuri made such a scary face while calm.

Seiya arrived at Hayate who was the one standing furthest from the door. Seiya looked at him and smiled thinly.

"She will come to my side sooner or later."
"……tch."

Shoutarou, who was next to Hayate, reacted to Seiya's words, but Hayate reined him in with his eyes.

Facing the departing backs of the men from La Faust Academy, Hayate merely stood still.

I am actually a little disappointed how Meru handled Shin. D: Kinda wish she was a little more powerful physically ;~; I guess she can't be invincible…but also I wish she was invincible lolol. This arc might actually be the death of me re: frustration. What would you all say if I skipped it and went to the next one? 😛 (Kidding…maybe.)

15 chapters left in the La Faust Academy Arc!

We didn't hit the mark for a bonus chapter this month, but to honor and thank the first two supporters, I decided to go ahead and release one anyway! This is a one off, and I'll wait until we've hit the bar in the future, but thank you so much for your support! I'm looking forward to continuing Meru's journey together with everyone~ The weekly chapter will be released tomorrow, so keep an eye out!

Chapter end